"The Ash Grove"

Anonymous

Our Word of the Week, “Ash,” put me in mind of a folk tune, and one that we have presented here before, set with hymn lyrics — “Let All Thing Now Living.” This song of thanksgiving was written by Katherine Kennicott Davis for a children’s choir in 1941, but is now beloved by everyone. (Follow the link to the hymn to read more about the Welsh tune.)

The origin of this week’s Sometimes a Song — as is the case of works by that prolific songster, Anonymous — can’t be tied to a specific date. We do know, however, that the first time the tune appeared in print was in 1802, set down by a Welsh harpist, Edward Jones. The first English lyircs appeared in volume one of Welsh Melodies, with Welsh and English Poetry, with translations by a Scots poet and musician, Thomas Oliphant. Our readers already know another of Oliphant’s lyrics, “Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly.” His translation of “The Ash Grove” is true to the original Welsh song of sadness of the singer for loss of his beloved young lady. But I have to say that Oliphant’s lyric seems (to me, at least) a wee bit indebted to another of my favorite folk songs, “Loch Lomond,” which is similar in tone, subject, and imagery; I wrote about that lovely song here. Those of you who know that song, tell me if you don’t agree.

Tony mentioned in the essay I highlighted above that “The Ash Grove” can be sung in a wistful and even somber way or in the bright way that we are accustomed to who first heard the tune as a hymn with lyrics by Katherine Davis. This is not true of ALL tunes and all lyrics, so fair warning! Anyone who goes about setting old hymns to new tunes — or new hymns to old ones — needs to consider the literal tenor of the music and the content of the lyrics to determine the suitabily of one to the other.

For today I am providing a couple of renditions of “The Ash Grove” for you to consider. The solo singer I’ve chosen for today is Thomas Thomas, a well-known and award-winning Concert singer, who came to the United States in 1923 and settled with him family in Scranton, PA — at the same time as Tony’s Italian grandfathers were working in the mines nearby. Think of Thomas Thomas as the Bryn Terfel of the early mid-century. Yes, he was THAT good.

In the case of all of the videos below, you can listen to the first song and then let the video roll into a beautiful assortment of songs. The last video may take a few folks by surprise — I hope!

Such beauty from one little song.

Very wistfully to sorrowfully … Thomas L. Thomas

Cor Meibion Treorci Choir

Tregedar Orpheus Male Voice Choir

Brightly .. Harpo Marx

Thomas Oliphant's Translation

Down yonder green valley, where streamlets meander,
When twilight is fading I pensively rove,
Or at the bright noontide in solitude wander
Amid the dark shades of the lonely ash grove.
'Twas there, while the blackbird was cheerfully singing,
I first met my dear one, the joy of my heart!
Around us for gladness the bluebells were ringing,
Ah! then little thought I how soon we should part.

Still glows the bright sunshine o'er valley and mountain,
Still warbles the blackbird its note from the tree;
Still trembles the moonbeam on streamlet and fountain,
But what are the beauties of nature to me?
With sorrow, deep sorrow, my bosom is laden,
All day I go mourning in search of my love;
Ye echoes, oh, tell me, where is the sweet maiden?
"She sleeps, 'neath the green turf down by the ash grove."

Welsh Lyrics

Yn Nyffryn Llwyn Onn draw mi welais hardd feinwen
A minnau'n hamddena 'rol byw ar y don;
Gwyn ewyn y lli oedd ei gwisg, a disgleirwen
A'r glasfor oedd llygaid Gwen harddaf Llwyn Onn.
A ninnau'n rhodiana drwy'r lonydd i'r banna,
Sibrydem i'n gilydd gyfrinach byd serch;
A phan ddaeth hi'n adeg farwelio  a'r wiwdeg,
Roedd tannau fy nghalon yng ngofal y ferch.

Cyn dychwel i borthladd wynebwn y tonnau,
Ond hyfryd yw'r hafan 'rol dicter y don;
Bydd melys anghofio her greulon y creigiau--
Un felly o'wn innau 'rol cyrraedd Llwyn Onn.
A thawel mordwyo wnaf mwyach a Gwenno
Yn llong fach ein bwthyn a hi wrth y llyw;
A hon fydd yr hafan ddiogel a chryno
I'r morwr a'i Wenno tra byddwn ni byw.

Word & Song bthony Esolen is an online magazine devoted to reclaiming the good, the beautiful, and the true. We publish six essays each week, on words, classic hymns, poems, films, and popular songs, as well as a Friday podcast, alternately Poetry Aloud or Anthony Esolen Speaks. To support this project, please join us as a subscriber and please do share our posts.